R5 Preview: Brisbane Bullets vs Adelaide 36ers

Saturday, February 13, 2021

The Bullets and 36ers are both bouncing back off losses, but which dynamic duo can get the job done - Vic Law and Nathan Sobey or Isaac Humphries and Josh Giddey?

When: 8pm (AEDT), Saturday 13 February

Where: Nissan Arena, Brisbane

Broadcast: ESPN; Sky Sports NZ; SBS On Demand; Twitch

The last time
Brisbane 108 (Patterson 29, Hodgson 14, Singler 14, Sobey 14) d Adelaide 99 (Griffin 21, Randle 21, Johnson 16), Round 17, 2019/20, Adelaide Entertainment Centre

This Brisbane win was one of the most efficient, all-around offensive display you will see. Shooting 52 per cent from the floor, hitting 14 triples at 51 per cent, getting to the foul line 25 times, grabbing 32 per cent of o-boards and dishing 20 assists, the Bullets took what the defence gave them all night long. For all those numbers, it was Lamar Patterson who did the most damage with 29 points, 5 dimes and 12 free-throw attempts.

The now
Brisbane are producing the offensive goods this season too, averaging 92 points in regulation while shooting 48 per cent over their past three games. That was good enough for two wins, but against Melbourne they leaked 17 triples at 50 per cent as their visitors racked up 109 points. They have only kept one opponent below 90 points this season, and are having all sorts of struggles defending the three-point line.

The good news for Bullets fans ahead of Saturday’s clash is no team attempts fewer triples than Adelaide who, also in the tradition of their former coach, lead the league in free-throw attempts. However, when Sydney packed the paint last week the 36ers weren’t able to execute a fluent Plan B, with the red-hot Isaac Humphries restricted and no one other than the ever-reliable Daniel Johnson able to fill the breach.

The stats

- Last week against the Kings, Humphries took 7 field-goal attempts, compared to 16.3 in the previous four games

- In wins, Adelaide have averaged 47.5 points in the paint and shot 56 per cent from two-point range. In losses those numbers are 30.7 and 40 per cent

- Brisbane allow just 15.8 free-throw attempts (3^rd in the NBL) but are conceding league highs of 12.6 makes and 41 per cent from the three-point line

- Bullets opponents are averaging a league-high 21 assists compared to an 8^th lowest 9.4 turnovers per game

The key men

Nathan Sobey – Anyone paying any attention knows Sobes has taken harnessing the Force to a new level this season – averaging 25.2ppg at 48 per cent as he slices and dices defences and then hits tough ones from long range, to stake the claim as the Hungry Jack’s NBL’s number two shooting guard behind Bryce. But for a Brisbane team struggling to get the stops it needs, it's his defensive prowess that’s most important against Adelaide.

Of the 36ers’ three losses, Next Star sensation Josh Giddey missed one and averaged 9 points, 6.5 boards and 4 assists in the other two, with just 7 free throws in total. But in their two most impressive wins over the Phoenix and Breakers, he managed 14.5ppg, 10.5rpg and 7.5apg, getting to the foul line 14 times. Melbourne and Sydney both reduced Giddey’s impact by attacking him with pressure, and Sobey needs to do the same on Saturday.

Isaac Humphries – Last week the Kings made sure Humphries be bare of shot attempts as they pre-emptively sent help to limit him as the roller or recipient of post-to-post passes. When Ice did get the ball he was crowded, out of rhythm and delivered a cold 2-of-7 shooting night. That left some work for Connor Henry and Co to find alternatives while an import down, and also find new ways to get Humphries the ball if Brisbane repeat this dose.

The odds are they will, given the Bullets have prioritised protecting the paint this season, to the point opponents have averaged 11.7 triples at 43 per cent in their three losses. Much responsibility falls on Tyrell Harrison to allow his teammates find the balance between help and protecting the arc. The 7’1 Kiwi has averaged 8.8ppg at 67 per cent in the past four games, and he must challenge Humphries shot-blocking in an attempt to draw fouls.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">On tonight's episode of The Block: Isaac Humphries<br><br>The <a href="https://twitter.com/Adelaide36ers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Adelaide36ers</a> big man wasn't having it inside with 5? blocks against the Breakers <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL21?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL21</a> <a href="https://t.co/wuAlm1IInw">pic.twitter.com/wuAlm1IInw</a></p>— The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1352585943807451140?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The quotes

After a hectic schedule to open the season, the Adelaide 36ers finally got some time together on the training court in the lead up to last week’s clash with Sydney, but that didn’t work out so well for them in a 94-75 defeat.

“This week will also allow us to review where we’re at,” coach Henry said ahead of their seven-day break before their Round 4 rematch with the Kings.

“There are a number of things that we’ve discussed about putting in and really trying to get the guys to understand certain situations, but we’ve held back because we didn’t want to confuse them and put too much in.”

Did that time to add new things dilute a simple formula that had delivered four wins from five games? Possibly. But whatever the reason, Adelaide managed their lowest score since opening night and shot a woeful 37 per cent from the field, including a season-high 26 three-point attempts.

"They sat in deep on our bigs and took our post game away, then they blew up our pick-and-roll coverage,” Henry said afterwards.

"We quite frankly couldn't throw out of that and couldn't find the easy pass to counter that."

Yet while their half-court offence didn’t click, perhaps as big an issue was the fact they had to run their half-court sets repeatedly.

Part of that was Sydney’s offensive efficiency forcing them to take the ball out of the net, but another part was the Kings’ pressure forcing Josh Giddey to play off the ball.

Coach Henry has said repeatedly how important Giddey’s speed is, his ability to spark transition already at a high level.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Adelaide 36ers star teenager Josh Giddey has been cleared to play tonight against the NZ Breakers after this nasty incident saw him miss 1 game. More <a href="https://twitter.com/7NewsAdelaide?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@7NewsAdelaide</a> 6pm <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL21?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL21</a> <a href="https://t.co/0Q0IVJ43GM">pic.twitter.com/0Q0IVJ43GM</a></p>— John Casey (@JohnCasey2880) <a href="https://twitter.com/JohnCasey2880/status/1352400658796699650?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

But with smaller guards able to test his handles, Adelaide need another option. Enter replacement import Jeremy Kendle.

“Jeremy will play hard and push the pace, which we need to do,” Henry said.

“We need to get out in the open floor and run some, get some easier baskets. Right now, offensively when we push the pace and we get it through hands our offence is pretty efficient and it’s free flowing.

“Other times it becomes stagnant and we need to be able to insert the next player – and that’s Jeremy.”

Unfortunately for the Sixers, Kendle is in doubt for Saturday’s clash, meaning Sunday Dech, Tony Crocker and the returning Daniel Dillon have a big responsibility to support Giddey.

Every Bullet not named Nathan Sobey or Vic Law has a responsibility to step up this week, with the dynamic duo carrying their team offensively over the past three weeks.

With not enough teammates punishing the D, Melbourne were able to overplay Law last week and reduce his impact down the stretch.

“We need to find a little bit more from some of our other guys so we don’t become reliant on those two,” coach Andrej Lemanis said.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Vic Law taking over the 4th quarter for the Bullets! <br><br>Watch the action now on <a href="https://twitter.com/SBSVICELAND?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SBSVICELAND</a> + <a href="https://twitter.com/SBSOnDemand?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SBSOnDemand</a>!!! <br><br>Link: <a href="https://t.co/7WnDBTPjpU">https://t.co/7WnDBTPjpU</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL21?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL21</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SYDatBNE?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SYDatBNE</a> <a href="https://t.co/6vBTPKyiAo">pic.twitter.com/6vBTPKyiAo</a></p>— SBS Sport (@SBSSport) <a href="https://twitter.com/SBSSport/status/1353940063185301510?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

While Brisbane clearly has some defensive issues – defending transition and the three-point line being two – Lemanis believes better execution at the other end is part of the solution.

“When you look at it, there are two five-minute patches, straight after half-time when they score 16 points in five minutes and then the last five minutes of the fourth quarter they have 21,” he said after the Round 4 loss to Melbourne.

“Part of that is generated by what we were doing at the offensive end, and there were times when we settled for jumpshots and they were running it down our throat.

“They had 44 points in the first eight seconds of our offence tonight, so some learnings and improvement there and again I think part of that is what we’re doing with our offence.”

However, if they don’t fix the first line of their defence, Giddey and Co will exploit that for easy scores, or early entry into offence that will make stopping Humphries and Johnson nigh-on impossible.

“I thought our disruption in the backcourt wasn’t consistent enough, so they were able to find a comfort level with what they wanted to run,” Lemanis said.